Match Report for Thorney v March Bears on Saturday, January 27 at Thorney in the Eastern Counties League 1 West.

March Bears continued on their winning ways with yet another bonus points victory at Thorney who had only lost twice this season and one of those was in the home game at March earlier in the season.

However this was no easy win for March who were against a side far bigger and heavier than them.

But March played their normal fast handling game using their very fleet and elusive backs working with a minimum of ball coming from the set piece in both the scrum and line out.

It was to March forwards great credit they made up for their lack of size and weight by tackling like tigers and Thorney’s constant tactic of trying to bludgeon them into submission failed in the main to work and in the latter part of the game Thorney also ran out of stamina leaving March deserved winners.

This win keeps March at the top of the table , 24 points ahead of their nearest rivals with six games to go

The game started with March generally on the front foot but it took 15 minutes for them to open the score with a quick taken penalty followed by a long looped pass out to Callum Campbell who looked like he was going over but a  very good tackle by his opposite number seemed to have saved the score but Danny Grieve was following in and as the ball bobbed up he was over in a flash in the corner.

Sam Howat followed this great score with a fantastic conversion kick from the sidelines.

The game was being played at a great pace and there was no give by either side. In the 34th minute the Thorney forwards combined well after a short penalty and eventually went over for a try which was also converted.

It looked like this was to be the half time score but with one minute to go before the break Will Paul set out on a fantastic individual run and just outpaced his back opposition to go over for a try which was not converted.

The teams turned round with a half time score Thorney 7 v March 12.

The second half start caught March on the hop and for once their defence failed allowing Thorney to go over for a converted score which also allowed Thorney to take the lead for this first time in the match.

This March side have great mental strength and they were not going to take this lying down and 10 minutes later Danny Grieve went over for this second try in the corner to take the score back in March’s favour 14 v 17.

Thorney’s effectiveness was hampered then by a yellow card for their skipper with 10 minutes in the sin for a repeated high tackle ,and this allowed March to step up the pace which was not suitable for the heavier  Thorney side.

The cream the tries of the win came with a great March back move, in that sin bin period ,with Sam Chapman finishing it off beating 3 men and going over mid way between the corner and the sticks . Sam Howat obliged and complimented this excellent score with a conversion.

March had 15 minutes to play but there never looked like they were going to concede again , in fact it looked more likely they would score again as Thorney tired noticeably.

Final Score: Thorney 14 v March Bears 24

Man of the Match: Sam Howat (voted unusually by the Thorney players for his total security under the high and through ball and for his fast pace in attack).